US | Idaho Idaho Restricts Use of Spy Drones by Police Authorities will need a warrant first By John Johnson Posted Apr 12, 2013 1:38 PM CDT Copied This undated photo provided by the Mesa County, Colo., Sheriff's Department shows a deputy getting ready to use a small drone equipped with a camera. (AP Photo/Mesa County Sheriff's Unmanned Operations Team) Idaho has become the second state to restrict what one lawmaker calls "high-tech window peeping" by police or even nosy neighbors. The governor has signed a bill requiring police to get a warrant before using drones in most cases, reports Reuters. The new law also makes it illegal for public agencies—or anyone, for that matter— to conduct surveillance of a property via drone without permission. Only Virginia already has a similar law on the books, though other states are considering them as drones become a more routine police tool. These aren't the types of behemoths flying around Afghanistan—this variety weighs maybe 50 pounds and has a video camera. Idaho's law is a good start, blogs Ed Krayewski at the libertarian Reason.com. "Of course government authorities won’t necessarily seek a warrant just because they’re required to," he adds, "and these types of legislation tend to leave a big loophole in the form of an 'imminent danger' exception." (The IRS knows something about lax warrant rules when it comes to privacy concerns.) Read These Next Gavin Newsom has filed a massive lawsuit against Fox News. New York Times ranks the best movies of the 21st century. A man has been deported for kicking an airport customs beagle. White House rolls with Trump's 'daddy' nickname. Report an error